Equality Parade calls for civil partnerships in Poland

Several thousand took part in the 'Equality Parade' which passed through the streets of Warsaw, Saturday afternoon, calling for parliament to pass legislation on civil partnerships.

photos - PAP/Jakub Kamiński

"The public is more supportive of civil partnerships that the politicians, who are scared of the bishops,” Joanna Senyszyn, an MP for the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) told journalists.

Other politicians taking part in the annual demonstration by lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) and their supporters included Janusz Palikot, leader of the liberal Palikot Movement, Poland's first openly gay MP Robert Biedron, and left wing MP Ryszard Kalisz.

The demonstration marched through the streets of the capital, demanding equal treatment for all citizens in Poland regardless of sexual orientation, religion or skin colour.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Donald Tusk was speaking at the Women's Congress taking place at the Palace of Culture, where the Equality Parade stopped so that participants of the congress could take part in the march.

Tusk warned that what was needed in Poland was an education campaign calling for the widest possible tolerance of different social groups in the country but that “too radical demands [on issues such as civil partnerships] can harm this cause,” he said.

The ruling Civic Platform, which the centre-right PM Tusk leads, has yet to draw up legislation on civil partnerships that all MPs in the party are united on. (pg)